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Panasonic TX-32LZD85 review

Its price tag certainly talks the talk, so can this stylish Panny walk the walk?

£790

14 July 2008/6:00BST

Picture quality is of primary concern, of course, but it would be nice to hear a TV that doesn't sound weedy and malnourished. Not all of us want to listen to Emmerdale with the volume turned way down. Or with the volume right up, for that matter.

With the TX-LZD85, Panasonic has answered our sonic SOS by fitting it with ugraded speakers. And what a difference they make. Instead of wincing at high-pitched sounds and sniggering at the lack of bass during explosions, these speakers combine weight, power and detail. Dialogue is clear and authoritative, too. This set puts many of its rivals to shame.

SD card slot

But enough of our rant on sound quality. We're sure you're all eager to find out what else this flatscreen has to offer. The TX-32LZD85 is a Full HD set. It hosts three HDMI inputs (two on the back and one on the side) and also features a Freeview tuner. While some sets offer a USB input for a digital camera, the Panasonic has a dedicated SD Memory Card slot instead.

In terms of performance, images are clean, stable and enticing, whether from Blu-ray or DVD, and the set lives up to its Viera branding. It combines rich, vivid tones with more subtle hues, and the set also manages to keep a grip on fast movement – only the very trickiest panning shots making this TV break sweat.

Impressive detail

The Freeview tuner is as we've come to expect from Panasonic, serving up colourful, noise-free images, and doing its best to uncover detail in even the lowest bandwidth channels. Send in a Sky HD signal, and the Panasonic stretches its legs and shows off an extra layer of sheen and shine.

The 32LZD85 is certainly the best 32in TVs we've seen, but it's also one of the most expensive. Whether or not it's the set for you very much comes down to the fatness of your wallet.